Thursday, March 12, 2020

SEATTLE SHUTS DOWN SCHOOLS; OHIO CLOSES SCHOOLS; NYC CANCELS AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES BUT KEEPS SCHOOLS OPEN

What is wrong with this picture? Seattle, Washington has shut down its schools for a minimum of two weeks starting today as has the entire state of Ohio. What about NYC?

The Superintendent in Seattle is quoted in the Seattle Times:
Superintendent Denise Juneau said in the statement that the closure was a last resort. “Closing schools is the last thing we ever want to do, but, obviously, this is an unprecedented situation,” she said. “The health and well-being of our students and staff is one of our top priorities and that’s a primary reason for the decision, but it’s also because of the potential wide reach COVID-19 can have.”

Ohio's governor went further by closing all of the schools in the entire state for three weeks.

From The Hill:
Ohio will be closing all schools for three weeks starting Monday amid the coronavirus outbreak, Gov. Mike DeWine (R) announced Thursday. 

DeWine said the decision to have an “extended spring break” came after consulting with experts. The closure will be reviewed at the end of the three weeks. 

The risk for children, unless they have another medical problem, is not high but children are potential carriers of the virus, DeWine noted. 

“We will continue to consult with educators on this. We have to take this action. We have to do everything we can do slow down the spread of this virus,” he tweeted.

In New York City, the Coronavirus apparently can only spread after hours as this is what Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today, as reported in The NY Times, in declaring a state of emergency:

All New York City public school assemblies, plays, after school sports and other activities will be canceled as a result of the spread of virus, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Thursday.

The mayor has so far resisted mass school closings, citing extreme hardship for many of the city’s low-income students and their working parents.

“We want our schools to remain open, we intend for our schools to remain open,” Mr. de Blasio said.

The mayor will put us all at risk because many kids rely on the schools for meals and daycare. I understand that the schools provide food and a nurturing environment for many so keep schools open for those who absolutely need them with a skeleton crew. However, the number of people outside should be kept to a minimum to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

I work part-time and was in a middle school today. It was business as usual in the playground with students wrestling with each other and in close contact. The Ohio Governor is right in saying that the kids are the carriers. The economy is already shot. What is de Blasio trying to prove? Where is the Union?

The petition to close NYC schools to mitigate the spread of the virus and to move classes online now has over 180,000 signatures. The goal is to get to 200,000. Will the mayor listen if there are a million? Will the Governor listen?

Are people going to start a wildcat sickout?

UPDATE; Maryland closes all of its schools.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love a good sick out thread! I started the last one!!! We should all at least take 2 minutes to call and complain to UFT maybe 50000 calls might sway them into action...LOLOLOL YEAH RIGHT!!!!!!!!! Sick out NOW!!!

Anonymous said...

I love a good sick out thread! I started the last one!!! We should all at least take 2 minutes to call and complain to UFT maybe 50000 calls might sway them into action...LOLOLOL YEAH RIGHT!!!!!!!!! Sick out NOW!!!

Anonymous said...

As for the details, such as normally mandated tests, Ohio /governor DeWine said: “If we can’t have testing this year, we will not have testing this year. The world will not come to an end.”

Anonymous said...

Many teachers are calling in sick.

NYCDOEnuts said...

Yes. It's time

Anonymous said...

Guess the DOE finally has a plan for getting rid of us older Tier IV teachers.....

Anonymous said...

Every NYC Public School Teacher should be calling the UFT and demanding Mike Mulgrew get the schools closed!!!

Anonymous said...

NY Post:

City doctors and public health officials wrote a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio Thursday urging him to shut down public schools and convert them into emergency aid centers amidst the coronavirus outbreak.

Bronx ATR said...

Babysitting martyrs. Your ‘union’ sits back and allows you to be exposed to a virus than can kill you and a virus that you can bring back to your family and kill them. If teachers allow this, it’s over. Over for you career, your self-respect and very possibly your lives. Refuse. Refuse. Refuse.

Jr said...

The human impact will be extensive. We will provide free legal help to anyone facing evictions and provide short term support.

If necessary we will also be activating emergency food contracts and community organizations will increase food aid for lower-income New Yorkers.

We are dealing with something we've never seen in our lives. We are calling on the federal government to provide additional relief for our residents, whose lives have and will be upended.

NYC public schools are essential. And they are remaining open, even as we cut back non essential activity in school buildings.

So many kids rely on them for meals. Parents need them so they can go to work. And every student relies on them to learn.

RESPONSE
Educators are NOT first responders and not babysitters. We are worried citizens who are just as susceptible to this virus as every other citizen you are encouraging to stay home. We have families. We have rights to protect our safety as well.

Anonymous said...

So if we call in sick now as a precaution because we are sick and weak, we will still be paid without using a CAR DAY? who decides if it is a precaution?

RBE said...

They say they can't close schools because the kids need the food.

What happens during Christmas, February and Spring Breaks?

Does Carranza send the kids home with food vouchers?

Do they get Happy Meals before they go?

No - they have a week or more of school days off without school food.

But suddenly we can't close for two weeks because the kids will starve?

Please.

We're talking two week closure here, at least until we get the lay of the land and see just how bad it's going to get.

I get the worry about food/health issues.

The emergency aid centers can be set up for those who need.

de Blasio and Carranza are going to kill people with their callousness.

I already told my wife, I get stuck on a respirator from this or end up dying, I want her to sue the fuck out of de Blasio for negligence.

Late into next week, we probably do need to call a wildcat strike to force the issue.

Because if the trend is correct, we are going to be a lot like Italy next week and there will be people dying from this.

Dunno about you, but last I looked, I didn't see any combat pay in my DOE paycheck.

Anonymous said...

NYC Public Schools
@NYCSchools
UPDATE: On Fri 3/13/20, in an abundance of caution, we will close 2 school bldgs & one D75 program; only ONE has a confirmed #COVID19 case by
@HealthNYGov
. That case is a student in the New Dorp HS + Hungerford bldg on Staten Island. The

Anonymous said...

if we close schools, kids wont have food and will starve!

Anonymous said...

If/When the NYC schools are closed, will we have to give the time back in July?

Anonymous said...

Would you rather work in July or come down with the virus in March?

Unitymustgo! said...

It's just so sad that neither Deblasio or Caranza can think outside of the box. Heck, it's like they can't see anything but box. Where is any effort to mitigate anything? A serious effort to communicate to parents about keeping kids home at even the slightest signs of illness. Accommodations being offered proactively for DOE employees who have compromised immune systems (fighting cancer, etc...). How about instructing Principals and teachers to stop assemblies. Stop multi school PD gatherings. To adjust lunch and larger gathering procedures. To adjust instruction to minimize close contact. No more Monday PD gathering. Screening children at the doors. Posting big poster signs at the doors telling parents keep their kids home if in doubt. Ordering that all students must be asked to wash hands through out the day. Clean the rooms daily, not the pathetic 2x a week they have announced at my school.

My point is there are an unlimited amount of ways we could at least be attempting to mitigate potential disaster, but as far as I can tell nothing like this is being done.

Your main concern is food and babysitting, then run a summer like schedule and close schools, but keep strategic cafeterias open.

Too many kids just sitting around, then let the decision to send kids to school fall on parents. Keep some buildings open. Pay volunteers to staff them, and provide babysitting and meals. Give those staffs proper protections, like masks and gloves etc... Our limited cleaning supplies will go much further with less buildings open.

Again my point is there is plenty that can be done and/or considered that doesn't even seem to be on their radars.

Anonymous said...

Yes, we need to organize a mass protest and strike. We are not paid as first responders. Look at our pay raise every year compared to the uniformed. Multiple states are closing schools and they have less cases than Ny. The only reason we do not have more cases is because of the lack of testing available to most patients. They need to take this seriously and not put our lives and families at risk. The union should be on top of this but no, they sit in their offices and protect themselves while we are expected to go in everyday.

Anonymous said...

So I should get sick because kids are homeless? Where is the parent when the kid is at school and not at school? Why cant we just have bag lunches at the door? Carranza said the decision was driven by the roughly 100,000 students either living in temporary housing or shelters who depend on schools to provide meals and other programs — and other vulnerable groups, who lean on the school system as a vital social safety net.

That means many students would have nowhere to go and nothing to eat should public schools lock their doors, Department of Education and City Hall officials have argued.

Anon2323 said...

Instead of student's needing free hot meals which they can easily access if they open up centers in each borough. How about teachers who have kids under age of 3 that can spread to them. It is not always just about the safety of students in schools.

We have 3 built in snow days. City should use 3 days and send CDC and thousands of workers into the schools cleaning and assuring that is is more safe than it is now!

Anonymous said...

my child's school district closed. can i take off as a PAID nonattendance without using a CAR DAY or does it come out of my bank?

I read the union notes but it doesn't seem confirmed.

Anonymous said...

If you work in a large school, take a picture of the student cafeteria and post the photo to the public. It should scare most parents.

James Eterno said...

Send a picture to us. We can print it without naming school.

Unknown said...

Anybody else not get paid?

Anonymous said...

"We recommend that New York City follow the example of affected jurisdictions around the region, the nation and even the world in closing our public schools"
--UFT President Michael Mulgrew #

Anonymous said...

Should at least use the 3 snow days.

Anonymous said...

I heard all NYC public libraries are closed until March 31.

Anonymous said...

I have met with the Mayor and outlined our reasons for urging a shutdown. He believes the schools should stay open, though he has agreed to a number of additional safeguards and accommodations. In the end, we have decided to respectfully disagree."

Prehistoric pedagogue said...

Nothing magical about 180 day requirement. The legislature can change it to any figure they wish.
Half the middle schools in every district could be turned into feeding centers manned by the cafeteria
workers and cleaned by the custodial workers of all the closed schools These workers could be issued hazmat suits and work in shifts to limit exposure.